Fountain brush



Nov. 27, 1928.

E. F. ASTLEY FOUNTAIN BRUSH Filed Nov. 28, 1927 Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD F. ASTLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HUMBOLDT M. SEYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

Application filed November 28, 1927. Serial No 236 300.

This invention relates particularly to fountain-brushes; and the primary object is to provide a fountain-brush of simple construction which is reliably automatic in the feed of the color when the brush is manipulated in the normal manner to apply the paint, or color, to a surface. 7

The present application constitutes a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 173,380, filed March 7, 1927.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional View of a fountain brush embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a side elevational view of the detachable brushunit; Fig. 3, an edge view of the unit shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4, an enlarged broken sectional view taken as indicated at line 4 0 Fig. 1. I r

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the device comprises a fountain-handle A and a removable brush-unit B housed in the tipmember of the handle at the operative end of 7 said handle.

The handle referably comprises two hollow members, t e main handle-member being designated 1, and the tip-member, or capmember, being designated 2. These members-are connected at a by means of a screw connection. The lower extremity of. the

member 1 is provided with an inturned.

flange, or shoulder, 1.

The cap-member 2 which constitutes the operative end of the handle is provided with an opening at its lower end which is encircled by an inturned flange, or lip, 2.

The brush-unit B, in the illustration given,

' comprises a bunch of bristles 3; a tubular ferrule 4 within which the upper ends of the bristles are tightly compacted and secured, the ferrule being provided with a ferruleextension 4 having at its extremity an en'sealing annulus 4", immediately above which is located an annular bead4 which provides Within it an annular groove adapted to serve as a small auxiliary reservoir located immediately adjacent the annulus 4 and an anchordevice 5 loosely connected with the upper end of the ferrule 4 and serving as a means for centering and holding the upper portion of the ferrule when the brush-unit is clamped between the lower end 1 of the handle-member l and the lip 2 of the handlemember 2.

The ferrule 4 and its extension 4 preferably are formed integrally with each other, being connected by loops, or curved strips, 4, between which stripsare located intervening ports, or openings, 4*.

That portion of the ferrule-extension 4 which is immediately above the bead 4 loosely encircles the bristles, leaving a slight annular space 4 through which liquid may feed from the ports 4* to the groove which is within the hollow bead 4.

The anchor-member 5, in the illustration given, comprises a somewhat resilient strip of sheet-metal bent to form at its intermediate portion a loop 5" which depends freely into the upper portion of the ferrule 4, members 5 formed by bending the members of'thc strip backwardly upon themselves, outturned members 5 formed by bending the members of the strip laterally, and convergent extremities 5 depending at the edges of the upper portion of the ferrule and adapted to engage the walls of the tip-portion 2 of the Y the ferrule.

The member 5 is connected with the ferrule by striking a brad 6 inwardly from one side of the ferrule, this brad engaging the loop 5. The arms 5 are adapted to rest upon the up per end of the ferrule and be engaged by t 1e lower extremity 1 of the handle-member 1, so that the ferrule and its extension will be clamped in position in the tip-member of the handle, as illustrated. The bead 4 makes a liquid-tight joint with the annular lip, or seat 2. The bristles 3 are embraced by the annulus 4 with sufiicient closeness to provide normally sealing contact, due to the resilience of the bristles. When the brush 3 is flexed in the brushing operation, however, the bristles are pressed away from the inner surface of the annulus 4 at one side of the annulus, thus leaving a small intervening space through which liquid may flow outwardly and air may pass inwardly.

The operation is very simple. The members of the handle may be separated, and the ink, paint, varnish, or color, may be poured into the handle-member 1. The tip-portion 2 of the handle containing the brush-unit may then be connected to the member 1, in which operation the brush-unit is clamped .in position within the tip-portion of the ban- Y forth in claim 1, including a small annular flows inwardly through the ports 41 of the ferruleand through'the annular channel a of the ferrule-extension to the annular groove of the hollow bead 4. Normally, the liquid will not flow outwardly through the joint between the annulus P and the bristles. When brushing pressure is exerted, however, the bristles are flexed to one side, thus opening a small space between the bristles and the interior surface of the annulus l at one side. This permits the liquid to flow outwardly from the annular groove of the bead t, which thus serves as' a small auxiliary reservoir, or feed-chamber, which located immediately above the ensealing annulus 49. The supply of liquid within the bead at is maintained by liquidfiowing from the interior of the handle through the ports is and the annular passage 4/. 'lheseparts preferably are so designed as to permit the liquid to be fed slowly to the interior of the hollow bead 4, but with sulficient speed to maintain the bead in filled condition during the brushing operation.

lVhen desired, the handle-members of the brush may be disconnected from each other and-the brush-unit may be withdrawn from the tip-portion of the handle by grasping the upwardly extending arms of thc'anchor device 5- and pulling the brush-unit from its housing. The brush-unit may then be soaked in a solvent, iffdesired.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claimsshould be construed as broadly as permiss'ible, in View of the prior art. V I

What I regard as new, and lesirc to, secure by'Letters Patent, is: A

"1. A fountain-brushcomprising a liquid- 7 containing handle provided at its operative end with an opening, and a brush-unit secured within the operative end of saidhandle, comprising bristles and means holding the bristles compacted together some distance above said opening, the extremity. of the op.- erative end of the handle being equipped with an annulus which embraces and normally makes sealmg contact wlth the bristles extending therethroughxbut permitsthe bristles to be lllOVGCl' awa, from the embracin wall atone side when brushing pressure is exerted,

, thus opening a space through which liquid mayflow outwardly and'through which air may pass inwardly.

2. A fountain-brush of the character set reservoir encircling the bristles just above the sealing annulus, and means to feed'liquid thereto from the supply within sai handle.

. 3.- A fountain-brush comprising a liquidcontaining handle consisting of 'amain-handle portion and a tip-portion, the tip-portion having an annular seat adjacent its opening, and the brush'having its bristles mounted in a ferrule provided with an extension having an annular shoulder which engages and forms a liquid-tight contact with said seat," said extension having at its outer end an annulus which normally makes sealnular lip at the extremity of the tip-portion of the handle.

5. A tt'ountain-brus-has speclfied 1n, claim a in which the ferrule and ferrule-extension are clamped between the lower extremity of the main handle-member and an annular shoulder at the lower extremity of the tip portion of thehandle.

6. A fountain-brush asspecified in claim l in which the ferrule-extension is provided with an annular groove immediately above the vensealing annulus, said extension being provided with meansgfor; admitting liquid from the interior of the handle to said annular groove. I

7. Foruse in a fountain-brush, a brushunit comprising a ferruleand bristles having their upper ends compacted and secured insaid ferrule, said ferrule having an, extension forming an annulus embracing the bristles which make sealing contact. through their resilience with the inner surface of said annulus and said extensionhaving means for feedin li uid therethrous h: tothe annular plane of contact between the bristles and ensealing annulus.

8. A brush-unit of the character specifiedin claim'l', in which the ferrule-extension has an annular bead adapted to seat on an annu:

' lar lip at the extremity ofthe tip-portion of the fountain-handle, and a centering and anchoring devic-e engaging the upper portion of the ferrule and adapted to be engaged by the main-handler member,,wherebythe fer rule and'jits extension. will be clamped beand the main-handle member.

nnwazan r. VASTLEY.

tween said lip 

